Assassin series RE: Why am I here?
by Askre5
Summary: Cyborg Raphael is adapting to his new life as a free Cybernetic turtle in a post-empire world. He's giant among reptiles, walking talking tank trying to find his place.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Story originally written and posted on 17/03 2007

This short Cyborg Raphael story happens very shortly after Turtotopia, right after the Epilogue in fact. The setting is Turtotopia now Turtleland and we follow Cyborg Raph who's living in the new post-Turtotopia world. He's basically contemplating his place in the world.

Originally this story was written well after the sequel to Turtotopia, When the Assassin Strikes. I have however decided to post this one first since it actually introduces a character that appears in When the Assassin Strikes that I feel people should get to know a little before reading When the Assassin Strikes.

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 **Disclaimer and Legal stuff:**

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles®, including Raphael®, Michelangelo®, Leonardo®, Donatello®, April O'Neil®, and Splinter® are registered trademarks of Viacom International Inc. Based on characters and comic books created by Peter A. Laird and Kevin B. Eastman.

I do not own them in other words.

This story is written purely as a homage to the Teenage Mutant Turtles and not meant for any commercial profit or infringement on copyright. This story will immediately be removed if Viacom International wishes so.

AU turtles are based off the idea of the TMNT.

Other characters not already belonging to Viacom are © Hermann Gunnar Sigurðsson (Askre).

The story, is copyright © 2006 by Hermann Gunnar Sigurðsson (Askre).

 **Fic rated K+**

 **This story is canon to the Assassin series.**

 **To fully understand this story, having read Turtotopia is advisable.**

 _Sum: Cyborg Raphael is adapting to his new life as a free Cybernetic turtle in a post-empire world. He's giant among reptiles, walking talking tank trying to find his place._

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 **Chapter 1**

 **Cyborg Raphael**

Sometimes I wonder what keeps me going. Not physically, that's electricity and whatever energy I get from the little nutrition I need from food. It is more the mental aspect I'm wondering about. I think and wonder yet I'm not so sure much.

My name is Raphael, I'm a cyborg. Torn apart few years ago by my brother and then put back together, mostly machine now, walking talking weapon of death and destruction. I still retained my will and self-control when I woke up as metal monstrosity, so he had to mind-control me. I didn't break free until few weeks ago. Thanks to, unexpectedly, a teenage counterpart of the very brother that transformed me.

During the few weeks after that, I had very little time to ponder about life and what not. I was first cleared of all charges, proven to be t as much of a victim as the other citizens of Turtotopia, now Turtleland. Then they asked me to help with interrogations of those who willingly participated in my brother's crimes. Then the trials came and went.

When it was over, there was nothing left for me to do. During the process, I opted to live outside the cities. Keep away from the main population, knowing that not everybody trusted me. After all, I had been my brother's second in command and chief of security. Everybody knew what I was capable off with my tools of torture and death.

The ex-empress surprised me. April offered me to live with her; she had gotten a house a bit out of the way from the most densely populated areas. Well, it was more of an order than offer. She told me I needed help maintaining my body and she had enough technological know-how to help me with that. Since I was looking anyway, I accepted her kind offer. I figured it had to be a thank you for letting her help toppling the emperor.

April was though a busy woman. It seemed the Rebellion had used her as a symbol and inspiration to keep fighting. She was hailed as a hero. However, the woman was very modest, claiming having had a very little part in anything.

It didn't stop her to aid in the healing process of the nation. We are still recovering, trying to help those who were mutated into turtles and hadn't adjusted yet, dealing with the mental trauma to suddenly be in a new body. Locating the families that had been separated.

April went around, often in hospitals and other centers that centered on helping the unfortunate. It became her job, even as she began swelling due to her pregnancy. It didn't stop her one bit; April's fame simply grew with that. She became the nation's hero, next to Arnold Jones who had led the Rebellion before his demise just few days before the person he was fighting against was overthrown.

There were voices that April should run for the president title but she refused it. Claiming to have no interest in leadership titles; had enough when she was an empress. Can't say I blame her, but the woman was still held in high regard. According to many human royal families of other nations, they want to keep considering her royalty. Officially, April is still Empress April O'Neil.

Now she is the empress of charity at the very least. Seemed April had found her place in a new nation under new rulers. But what about me?

I sigh and glance carefully around. Currently I'm standing in a small shop in the small town that's few miles from where I live. As this nation is still struggling with rebuilding the economy, many of the shops have been asked to keep prices low. Alternatively, even offer some wares for free, getting support from the temporary governmental body. All we had to do was showing a ticket of the thing we needed. Currently I possess a milk ticket. Yeah, even though April now has a steady job, we still need to get things free if we can. The income is very low at the moment and won't pick up for a while.

It's only been few hours since I left teenage Donatello's world, delivering him the news how my brother's trial went. I grin when remembering the reaction he and his brothers had when I appeared. I had simply been unable to resist, training my gun barrel at them.

The grin quickly drops and the line moves one foot towards the counter. Some people are getting a lot, having saved up tickets. It takes time to gather everything up for them. I find myself looking around again, already feeling a bit uneasy. People are eyeing me, some curiously, others a bit fearfully.

It's a mix of humans and turtle mutants in the shop. Mostly turtle mutants, the human population has found themselves in severe minority. My brother was very busy with the forced mutations he subjected to people. I shake my head; some of those poor people had already committed suicide. Unable to cope with their new look, some rejected by their old families who simply couldn't accept a mutant as their own.

Others had been fortunate enough; some actually had understanding family members waiting for them. Even better, that they were in the majority, otherwise things would probably be much worse right now.

I glance suddenly over my right shoulder, so it's the organic eye that looks down. A young boy, human, is staring at me wide eyed in surprise. He wears a baseball cap, jacket over a black t-shirt and blue jeans. Just a normal human boy wondering about the big metal turtle in front of him.

A human is though not holding his hand. It is delicate, three fingered, basic green and extends up an arm that belongs to a turtle woman. She holds him firmly enough to keep the boy from going off, but gently enough not to hurt him.

The turtle is not looking at me; she is looking away like she is waiting. There is sorrow in her expression. I look down at the boy again, wondering if this was his mother. Was she separated from her son? Then mutated before finally reuniting with him again? It must have been rough for both mother and child to see each other again, one changed so much.

A human male, dark haired and dressed similar and the boy, just bigger version, came running. That caused the turtle woman finally to move as she turned slightly to look at him.

"Hey baby, came as fast I could," the human addressed the woman with a warm smile and kissed gently her on the beak. "They are having us working overtime to finish the road."

I take it that must be the husband and the child's father. I can see now that father and son must have been separated from the mother and she captured by my brother's turtle soldiers and mutated in one of his labs, but finally the woman was reunited with her family when the empire fell.

She was lucky that her man and child accepted her back, despite the changed form. The boy seemed to have no trouble being led by her. The man showed no forced movements when leaning forward to kiss her previously. I would go so far to say he enjoyed it.

"I wish the line would go faster," I hear her whisper, her voice a bit sad. Her husband smiles and snakes one arm around her and putting his free hand on the boy's shoulder.

"People need their food," he tells her gently, then eyes the boy. "What are you looking at so attentively sport?"

At that, the boy points at me and I turn my head before the man eyes in my direction. I have little desire to see his reaction, no matter if it was a positive or negative one. I fold my arms and stare forward now; again the line moves a foot more. I notice a human male standing in front of the person that's before me in the line. He looks nervous. I brush it off, the humans who retained their human forms also suffered. Therefore, somebody being a little unstable wasn't unusual. I just hoped he wouldn't cause a scene; he looked like somebody who was on his last nerve.

Finally the line was shortening a bit. The nervous man was next and I was already beginning to look forward to leave. But my luck took a vacation, out of the man's coat comes a gun and he trains it on the cashier.

Everybody, safe for me, gasps and backs off. The man shouts that this is a stick up; he wants both money and food. I look down shaking my head. Boy did he pick a wrong day to be desperate. I gently push the person in front of me out of the way and silently approach the shaking man.

Before anybody can react, I have already reached out with my left hand and grabbed the gun. I crush it in the process and then grab the man's jacked with the right hand to swiftly turn him around, pinning him at the desk. I glare down at him with my narrowed organic eye.

"Take a very close look buddy," I growl at him, my canned voice making it ghostly.

"If you think you have it bad, try being me for a full day. Take a good look at all the turtles in this building; imagine how they have been feeling since they lost their human appearance," I continue, he's trembling and too scared to say a single word back.

"Yeah, things are pretty rough right now. We are still recovering from the tyrannical rule of Emperor Donatello. Things are going to be rough for the next few months, but the government is doing what they can to mend it. All we can do is trudge through it and be brave. It is hard, almost impossible for some probably. But we are still all going to pull through. What we don't need is somebody coming and halting the healing process by acting selfish and trying to rob people of what little money and food there is available," I pick the man up and throw him loosely towards the front door, mostly not to hurt him and just to make the point I want him out of the building.

"Now scram before I just go ahead and carry you to the police station," I snap. The man doesn't hesitate, scrambles up and runs out of the shop.

I shake my head and roll my organic eye. I guess some people are just getting really desperate. I begin to look around to find the person who was in front of me, allowing him to be first to the desk. But I'm interrupted by applauds.

I blink in confusion when I realizing that the people around me, human and turtles alike are applauding me. Some even were cheering. I can feel a blush coming. I turn to the cashier. She was an elderly human lady, bit on the thick side with cheerful facial expression. Helping her was a young turtle man, but they were also clapping their hands for me.

"I... um just after a gallon of milk," I mutter and hand over the ticket.

They were more than ready to hand the milk over. At first they wanted me to keep the ticket for later use. I flatly refused, it was hard enough to get supplies without me mooching of the sudden good fortune. I got the milk and left the store, still a little unsure about what happened in there. However, I do not dwell too much on it and head home.

* * *

"How is today's hero?" April addresses me when she enters the kitchen. I look back from where I'm standing in front of the window.

"So you heard that," I mutter. It was later the evening and the woman was just home from her regular duties. Guess she stopped in the town on her way home.

"People are still talking about it, some were unsure of having you as part of the community. Now people are very relieved that you were there. The robber could have caused few families to go hungry with his selfishness," April told me, giving me a warm smile. I feel strange tingling when seeing that smile, but brush it quickly aside.

"Maybe, but it was nothing," I say and turn back to the window.

"You are too modest Raphael. I'm not telling you to go around and brag about your unselfish act, but you rarely get to show that you are no longer the thing of destruction your brother had you be," April sits down by the kitchen table, still regarding me.

"Yeah I know." I look down and sigh. Then I finally turn around to face her fully, she has one hand under her chin, resting her elbows on the table.

"So uh... how was your day?" I wonder.

"Busy," she admits and shrugs. "We had to deal with few turtles who had been rejected by their families. Some were on the verge of suicide. It's so rough to see those poor people, both with shattered hearts and minds because of what has happened to them."

"Yeah... remember some of them." I nod and recall the turtle woman, her son and husband at the shop. I tell April about them, just so she knows that not all the mutants are that bad off. She smiles wider

"Just hearing that makes the whole day that much better," April tells me and nods. I agree with her.

"How's the passenger? I ask, she's beginning to show slightly. The woman pats her abdomen and chuckles lightly.

"Doing a wonderful job mooching off energy from me." Shaking her head she laughs now. "The doctors are keeping a careful eye on the process. They suspect though I will be giving live birth, not an egg."

"They can't check that?" I frown in confusion.

"Not at the hospital I'm afraid, they are still getting equipment," April tells me and shrugs. She then sighs a little but smiles while standing up.

"Well, I have to go over some paperwork." With those words, the woman leaves the kitchen.

I watch her leave but do not move. Feeling a little like a deadweight, no job or nothing. Just hang around the house; occasionally go shopping for us using money or tickets she earns. I realize slowly that it wasn't just because I had nowhere else to go, that I accepted her offer to live in her house.

When the turtle soldiers had brought her, terrified and crying to the palace, I had found her stunningly beautiful. Now that she is more her natural self, April's beauty is even more. Now finally I get the other reason why I accepted her offer. Understand those weird tingling feelings that come over me when she smiles my way, or laughs or just moves.

I love her.

 **End chapter 1**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Chapter originally written and posted on 23/03 2007

You will probably notice in this chapter as well, it is very common in Turtleland that a human child has one turtle parent or even both. Not all the children got mutated much like not all the adults were mutated.

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 **Chapter 2**

 **Cyborg Raphael**

One of many things that sets me apart from others is sleep. I do not really sleep; instead, there is a specific rest cycle for my body. Basically it's short one or two hour's hibernation where everything I've learned today is filed and stored away. Also the nanobots within me do minor maintenance work, like oiling the gear. I get the oil from the little food I need.

Due to this, I am very often awake alone in the living room. There is never much on the television, though some channels have begun rerunning some old movies to have some content. Mostly news and they keep just telling about the rebuilding process, the very slow rebuilding process.

I've tried reading but April doesn't have many books, in fact anything she owns now is new. All her belongings had been lost when abducted by my brother. The woman had only owned the clothes on her body when she was an empress.

Sometimes I go out for a walk, though I keep away from the regular paths. I have little desire to scare the living daylights out of any other night owls. Once a month I walk all the way to the marker I put up for my two lost brothers, Leonardo and Michelangelo. Both died, one in the infancy of the Empire and the other at the dawn of its downfall.

There never were any bodies to bury. Donatello had probably burned Michelangelo's remains. Leonardo died in another world and I have no idea what his murderer did with his body. Heck, I don't even know what world he died in. All the teenagers could tell me was that it had been the assassin's own home world.

I disengage from my rest cycle and frown with the organic part of my face. A sound caught my attention. For a moment I wonder if April is up, but it is still night. Now that few months have passed and she's begin to show more, the woman sleeps much more than usual. At first she hadn't slept much at all and said she envied my ability to just shut myself off.

The sound reaches my ears again and I realize those are whimpers. They are coming from April's room. Something must be wrong. I hesitate before disconnecting the cable from the power outlet and reel it into my shell. Then my heading is for her bedroom, up on entering I see that she is having a bad dream.

April twists and turns as much as her body allows, whimpers escape from her mouth. At one point the woman grips her pillow hard and grimaces. I don't need to turn on any lamps. My night-vision in the mechanical eye shows me everything clear as daylight.

Approaching the bed I hesitate, she is clearly frightened but unable to wake up. I look at my metal hands, not exactly the most comforting things available. I cringe a little but then gently as possible put my left one on her shoulder and try to shake her awake.

"April," I whisper and it seems to work. She wakes up but then looks in my direction and gasps.

 _Crap._ She was no doubt having a nightmare about her torturous stay with the emperor and back then I had been his "loyal" second in command.

"Ah… sorry." I back off, a shameful look on the organic half of my face. Then I quickly turn around intending to head out of the room.

"Raphael wait," she addresses me, I stop and carefully glance at her over my shoulder-pad.

April has turned on the nightstand lamp; she is sitting upright and seems to be in the process of calming herself down. She looks at me, no fear in her face or eyes, just sadness. Her hair is in bit of a mess after the rough night.

"It's ok," April tells me and smiles weakly. "I just had a bad dream… I was…"

"Dreaming about him and what he did to you?" I ask, slight bitterness in my voice. It had been so hard to just stand there and not being able to do anything. Watch my brother do whatever he pleased with her.

She nods to confirm that I was in fact correct. Then April shifts herself a bit to sit on the edge of the bed, one hand goes on her now swollen abdomen. The woman smiles more normally, though tiredly and gestures me to come closer. I hesitate while turning around and then slowly approach the bed again.

"What time is it?" April asks, almost as if nothing had happened.

"About 4 after midnight," I mutter and keep my hands the best I can behind the metal carapace.

"Sounds like a perfect time for a bathroom break," she claims and then reaches out with one hand. I blink and realize April wants me to help her stand up. Stepping closer I offer my left hand and the woman gets a good hold on it. Then I simply lift her up by pulling the arm towards me.

"Whoa." April trips as she is letting go off my arm. I just about manage to prevent her from falling using my other arm. She now leans on it giggling at her own clumsiness.

"I think you better help me to the bathroom, my balance took a trip somewhere," she says and stands up more properly, yet never let's go of my arm. I blink again in mild surprise, but then I begin walking slowly towards the doorway with her. As we go, I'm careful to mind my metal feet as they could easily crush hers.

We arrive at the bathroom and she lets go of my arm in the doorway before carefully entering. For a moment I watch the closed door but then turn around and look down the small hallway. The walls already have few pictures on them. Two of them are even of me.

I zoom into them and feel a little embarrassed. One was taken when I was in my rest cycle, standing like a lifeless statue in the living room. The other is of me by the marker. On both, I wear the same grim expression, I recall April telling me to try and smile but I failed.

April finishes her business in the bathroom and I'm ready to escort her back. As we are walking to her bedroom, I notice she is looking at me more attentively.

"I don't remember if I asked," she says. "Do you have feelings in the arms and hands?"

"Eh… well," I don't know what to say really. "Kind of, there are sensors there. But I turn most of them off when I don't need them."

"Do you have them online now?" April wonders looking now at my arm she is supporting herself on.

"Uh… yeah," I confess, after all I need to be more aware when helping her back to the bedroom, she just nods and smiles my way.

When I have returned April back to the bedroom I head back to the living room. I had pretty much finished my necessary rest cycle and no need for me to reenter it. Thus I turn on the television but keep the volume low.

* * *

I find myself in town again, once more getting some supplies for us. Especially April as she needs more food than I. Doesn't help she has a passenger either. It's been determined that she will be giving a live birth, being human and all.

On my way from the store, I stop nearby a playground. I glance towards it and watch the children play. There are many turtle children but also the occasional human. Yes, even the kids didn't escape the mutation process. I can't help but smile a little with the organic part of my mouth. To think April will soon have one of those running around the house.

Some of the children then notice me and stop to stare at me wide eyed. I cringe a little, not really wanting the attention and turn away. I began walking, holding the big shopping bag a bit firmer than needed. I really don't want to cause trouble, even though few weeks ago I stopped that robber, not everybody were still willing to trust me.

"Mister?" I blink when I'm addressed and stop. Looking over my shoulder, I see a little human girl standing behind me. She had ran from the playground and towards me.

"Yeah kid?" I turn slightly around, mostly to keep the metal part of my face out of view.

"What is your name?" the girl asks, showing nothing but curiosity. I can see that from the playground her friends are watching. I frown a little and regard the girl. She's probably six or seven years old, curly brown hair and in dress, the only kid in a dress on the playground.

"My name is Raphael," I answer her finally but don't smile.

"My name is Donna, what happened to you?" she asks. I glance down at my metallic body.

"I was… injured very badly." I try my best not to go into full details of what happened to me. "The only way to safe my life was to build me up like this."

Little Donna tilts her head a little and glances up my large mechanical hide. The girl sure doesn't seem too daunted by my appearance. Then she suddenly smiles.

"It is going to be ok," the girl informs me. I have to admit to be a little confused at her statement.

"Daddy was changed too. But he will be ok, we will all be ok. Now that the emperor is gone," she continues. The organic part of my brow rises a bit, now this was something. Being assured by a little girl how things will become.

Then suddenly a male turtle comes running. He's basic green and wearing a vest and shorts. The mutant looks absolutely terrified and I cringe when realizing why. The smaller reptile grabs Donna up, stares at me frightfully before running of with the girl. She had hardly time to acknowledge her father before he was off, holding his precious daughter protectively.

Sighing I look down for a moment and then continue my journey back home. Donna was though right, things will be ok. At least, things will be ok for some people. However, others are not so lucky.

The father had only reminded me how out of place I am in this world, even if it is my own. The child had been too young to recognize me, but her dad did and knew too well what I was capable off. Causing him to want to get his daughter out of possible harm's way, he didn't know or probably wanted to know that I wouldn't have harmed a hair on the child.

I escape out of the town without meeting any more people. For that I was much relieved. It meant no stares, no whispers or nothing. Hero one day, villain the next, seems to be my lot in life. About the only thing that seems to cheer me up is either April or meeting the teenage version of my brother. We keep in contact occasionally.

When I arrive home I stop in the doorsteps, from the inside I hear voices. I recognize Angela, the scientist from way back when I was in the lab. We had met again after the empire fell. She had somehow recognized me and looked me up, don't know how but the woman did.

She and April were both now working in the rebuilding process; they had become friends because of their mutual jobs. I must correct myself, three things can only cheer me up and the third is the middle-aged Asian born woman. She never calls me anything but Angel. My old nickname she had for me back in the lab.

"He's so often sad," I hear April say. "He gets into good mood when visiting Donatello from the other world. Occasionally he flashes a smile here and there, but at other times he just seems so lost."

I stop in the main hallway. They are talking about me. They hadn't heard me come in, but I was going silently anyway. I don't proceed any further, wondering what exactly they are discussing about me.

"Angel was very protective of his brothers, both Leonardo and little Donny. He was also very mischievous or so I've heard. But he always behaved with me," Angela responds. "But considering his situation, I'm not surprised he feels a little down."

"Some people just don't realize that he was just as much of a victim as the others. Of course they don't know him. Most probably only remember him as the cold second in command," April tells her. "He has his funny moments, just wish there were more of them."

Don't know why really but for a moment I feel a tear in my organic eye. I manage to suppress it, continue into hall, and head for the kitchen. In there April and Angela are sitting by the table. I don't utter a word to them; just put the big bag on the kitchen counter. Then I walk out leaving the surprised women behind.

I enter the living room and look out of one of the bigger windows. I was not alone there for long. I can hear the footsteps. I glance over my shoulder and see both April and Angela standing there.

"Raphael… is something wrong?" April asks sounding worried.

"I…" I begin to respond, then look down and shake my head.

"In the town… a little girl spoke to me… reassuring me that everything would be ok in the end. Then her father came running and took her away," I told them. "There was so much fear in his eyes… he knew exactly who I was and probably what I could do."

"Oh Angel," Angela gasps.

"Raphael." April walks towards me but stops when I raise my hand in a stop signal.

"Even now… when I can walk openly… I don't fit in. I spent years with my brothers hiding in the sewers because I was a mutant turtle. Now I'm metal monstrosity, walking talking tank in a world with mutant turtles. Seems I have to hide again," I look out of the window again sighing sadly.

 **End chapter 2**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Chapter originally written and posted on 13/04 2007

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

 **Ex-Empress April**

On hearing what happened to Raphael in town, I realized that much more what impact he had on people's lives back in the Empire days. He may not have done things willingly, but others didn't know or believe that. The court may have cleared him from all charges, but there would always be doubters. I sometimes wondered if it would ever matter what he would do, some people would still mark him as a monster.

He hasn't spoken at all since telling me and Angela what happened downtown. The turtle would also not allow us to come close, always gave us a signal not to come near him. Angela, his old friend from back in the lab probably understood him better in that case and promptly dragged me to the kitchen.

"There is only one who could talk to him when he gets into that mood," she tells me as we sit back down.

"He has done this before?" I ask with a frown.

"Not always but sometimes he would enter some funk, very similar to this one. He would then get very uncooperative with the lab workers and actually growl at anyone coming to close to him. Only one could approach him during those times and drag him out of it," the woman explained shaking her head sadly.

"Who?" I ask and wonder if it's Donatello, but he's currently being held in a mental hospital and in no condition at all to talk with his brother.

"His oldest brother, Leonardo," Angela says and I feel incredibly stupid. Of course it would have been him.

I remember when seeing them interact in Donatello's lab, when we were fixing the transpad and getting the young counterpart back home. It was obvious they were close and relied on each other for strength.

"B-but Leonardo is dead…" I whisper a little dejectedly. He only had one brother left, the one responsible for his condition.

Angela just nods. She already knew that. I shake my head; guess there is nobody who would truly understand Raphael's condition. I frown suddenly when I realize what I had just thought.

"Angela can you drive me to town?" I ask her. I've just entered the period where it's not a good idea to drive in my condition.

She agrees to take me to town and we both stand up. I take a detour first to the living room and tell Raphael where we are heading. He only stares out of the window, saying nothing.

"So where are we heading?" the older woman asks me as we drive off from the house.

"I don't know yet," I mutter and remain silent for the rest of the journey. I suspect though that Angela knows what I'm up to. However, she doesn't say anything.

In town, I ask her to drive slowly around; I know the route Raphael takes in and out of town. There this playground on the way and I'm almost certain that's where he met this girl. We are soon there and there are a lot of children playing. I can see some of the parents as well, both turtle and human.

I have Angela park the car and we both step out. Some of the adults look up and I can see many surprised faces. They weren't probably expecting me to be stopping around here. I haven't entered the town a lot after the pregnancy began showing so much.

We both sit down on a nearby bench and enjoy the nice weather. I would occasionally glance at where the children played. I especially noticed one girl who was wearing a dress, nobody else was. I found it a little curious all the other kids had pants or shorts.

Angela's phone rang and she had to answer it. I take a casual look around and notice a very sad looking turtle. He was basic green, wearing shorts and a vest. He seems to be keeping an eye on the girl in the dress. That makes me wonder if it is the father, one of the unlucky people who was mutated but the rest of the family was not.

Suddenly he calls her name, 'Donna'. Seems it is time to head home. The little girl runs to him and he picks her up. The turtle then begins walking away from the playground and it does seem their path will take us past Angela and me.

The turtle stops when he spots me and looks a bit more nervous now. The girl on the other hand is undaunted. She waves me with wide smile; I return the gesture in the same manner. Then her father walks carefully closer.

"Y-you're the empress," he addresses me in a nervous tone.

"Ex-empress dear," I correct him. "Now I'm just plain old April O'Neil."

"You do a lot of good… reuniting families, helping the healing process," the turtle says.

"I'm just one player of many," I say smiling warmly now. "You have a beautiful daughter."

"Thanks, she fortunately escaped the process." The turtle hugged his daughter closer. The girl smiled and nodded.

"My family was taken shortly after the Empire began to expand. I was one of the first people mutated, but my wife and daughter were put on hold for some reason. I didn't meet them again until shortly after the Empire fell," he then told me.

"You are fortunate that they accepted you when you met again. I've had to help turtles who were rejected by their families, some will probably never recover." I get a little sad when thinking about that. How some parents could actually call their sons or daughters monsters and leave them at the reuniting centers. Wives or husbands' rejecting their mates when seeing what has happened to them.

"Yeah I know… a friend of mine got rejected by his wife. She just couldn't accept what happened to him or their son. She left them almost immediately when seeing them." The turtle sighs and shakes his head. Donna hugs him reassuringly.

"A lot of people need help now. I'm also trying to help another person who was very hurt by the emperor," I admit and my thoughts go back to Raphael and my original intentions to come to the town.

"Who is that?" the turtle asked, only mildly curious. I look at him and wonder if it was wise to tell him right off.

"He is one of the people the emperor mind controlled. Had do things against his will, torture people when he wanted to do nothing but help them. Right now he's feeling very sad and lonely. He thinks he will never fit in," I explain. Angela finishes the phone call and puts her cell back in the purse. She notices that I'm talking with someone and thus makes no comment.

"You should tell him that things will be ok," Donna chimed into the discussion. Her father tried to hush her but the girl continued. "Like I told the big metal turtle, everything will be ok."

When the girls mention the big metal turtle, I realize that I'm talking with the girl and the turtle Raphael spoke of. The ones I had been kind of hoping to meet. I refrain from commenting on it just yet. Her father shakes his head but actually smiles a little.

"You got a bright child there, friend," Angela speaks up. "She is right; things will turn out all right. Healing takes time and we are already making a great process."

"Who is he," Donna asks, addressing me. "The one you are trying to help and is feeling so lonely."

"You've already met him," I tell the girl. "It's the big metal turtle."

The shock coming on Donna's father is not surprising to me. Now that I also know he was one of the first to be captured and mutated, his fears are understandable. The guy without doubt was one of the first to meet Raphael when mind-controlled and that was a frightening experience. I remember it myself, back then I had felt he was the scariest thing that I had ever seen.

"Raphael has never felt he fit in. Before the empire, he was a normal mutant turtle, one of four and there were no others. Now he is a cyborg making him even stand out among mutants." My shoulders slump down when thinking about this.

"You don't have to be polite and try and hide your distain, friend," Angela says solemnly.

"You met and knew a different Raphael than we do. I was a member of the lab crew that mutated him and his brothers' long time ago. He was always sweet and kind, but loyal and protective," my friend continues and then sighs sadly. "It's sad to see him now, stuck in this monstrous form. Done to him by the person he used to love and protect."

Donna's father doesn't say anything; he just hugs his daughter and in the end leaves without a word. I shake my head and Angela looks a little disappointed.

"Some wounds will not heal I'm afraid," I say.

"That is true unfortunately," my friend agrees and glances at me. "Is this why you came here? You wanted to try and meet them?"

"Yes… I don't know. Maybe I wanted to see them, see if I recognized them from somewhere." I put a hand on my forehead a bit tiredly. "But… I don't know, it was silly. I should have rather stayed home and try to cheer Raphael up again."

"You care about him a great deal," Angela noted.

"I do. He doesn't have anybody else. His only brother is in a mental institution. The other was murdered in a different world. The only other ones he dares calling friends, beside us and Ted, also live in a different dimension," I look at my hands though I'm more staring at the ground.

"When he is in a good mood, he's sweet, almost charming. He's also mischievous and with a great sense of humor. However, other people don't get to see that or don't want to. They only see his metal body and bolt."

"I thought he was finally going to be accepted when he stopped that robber. But I guess not everybody heard or believed it happened." I glance around and feel suddenly a little out of place. I voice it to Angela and we decide to head back home.

When we return Raphael is not there. He's either gone to the marker, visit his brother, or gone to Donatello's younger counterpart. Just to make sure I try to call him on the phone, but get no response. That means he's probably visiting the ninjas.

I chuckle a little when remembering the emperor's younger double. It had been so strange to meet this completely different Donatello. I had feared I killed him and Raphael's brother when transporting them away. As it turned out later, I hadn't and for that I was relieved.

Angela and I get seated in the living room and began chatting about the various help efforts. Angela had been doing a lot of work researching if the mutation could be reversed, but they recently began to realize it couldn't be. The emperor himself then confirmed that. Soon enough we find ourselves talking about Raphael again.

"Too bad he really doesn't eat that much. Only to keep his organic parts healthy," I comment. "Or we could cook his favorite meal to try and cheer him."

My friend gives me an odd look but then smiles slightly as if realizing something. It hits me then as well. I was being so concerned about Raphael that I had completely changed the subject right back to him. I could usually talk for hours about the recovery efforts with Angela. We had barely spoken for forty minutes before Raphael was brought up again.

"You love him don't you?" she asks me though it almost sounds like a statement.

I consider what the woman just told me. I had to admit I really did like Raphael's company, especially when he was not being sad. I already knew that inside that large mechanical body was a big golden heart. He cares a great deal about those very few that are close to him. And when Raphael was sad or in a funk, I really did want to just give him a hug because he always looked like needing one.

Him being 80 percent machine and metal really didn't bother me. Most of it was to keep him alive. Raphael was still a person inside all of that. A lonely one who felt he didn't fit in and really did need someone at his side.

"Yes you are right," I decide there is no point in hiding it. Angela is good at spotting such thing.

"I both care for him and love him," I admit.

 **End chapter 3**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Chapter originally written and posted on 13/05 2007

* * *

 **Chapter 4**

 **Cyborg Raphael**

As things slowly began becoming better, more money was available and now only the ones in real desperate need had to use the tickets to get supplies. April began having supplies delivered to us rather than send me to downtown. Though I told her that it was no trouble, she just said it was all right.

I relented to it, though I wondered if there was an ulterior motif to it. I shook it off. The woman was really beginning to confuse me on parts, asked me much more how I was doing and smiled a lot more my way. I didn't dare to think of it as anything else as being a concerned friend.

Who would want anybody who looks like me, mostly metal and machine?

It's now night, few months since the fall of the empire and April will be expecting a child with in the next three or four months. I plug myself in for tonight's rest cycle and begin my hibernation mode.

But some things never sleep; some of them are good but not all of them unfortunately. Since I wasn't low on power, my rest cycle was shorter. I am beginning to reel in the power cord when I hear something further in the living room. I turn on the night-vision in my mechanical eye, then my organic one narrows.

"What kind of idiots doesn't have burglar alarms," I can hear the person by the window chuckle. Then into the living room three persons slide in, two mutant turtles and one human.

I recognize the human again, it's the same guy I had stopped robbing the store few months back. The turtles I had seen as well sometimes when I did go to the town, rough idiots that were suspected to be nothing but trouble. Guess those suspicions were true.

The one who was the leader was dark green, similar to my color. He wore a leather jacket over a white shirt and was in saggy brown pants. The other turtle was basic green, wearing a sweater and jeans. I think the human was still in the same clothes he wore when tried to rob the store.

"Quiet guys; don't want the owners to wake up. Ok let's see…" the leader begins but then I turn on the light in the living room, freezing them in their tracks.

"No worry about that," I growl. "One of them is already up in fact he rarely sleeps."

They are so shocked that they just stand there staring at me. Eyes open wide and jaws almost scraping the floor. The organic part of my face drops into a scowl and I step in front of the doorway, just in case April wakes up and comes to investigate.

"Oh and about the burglar alarm, we don't need one," I snort and sink my right hand into the arm and pull out my laser gun. I had no intention to kill them, so I put it on the stun setting.

The leader recovers though from his shock, sneers and pulls out a gun. My scowl disappears but not in shock, but in amusement. He honestly thinks that peashooter is going to scare me? It's obvious now that this guy is from out of town, probably from a more distant region of Turtleland. Not everybody from there have heard of or seen me.

"Please," I snort and train the barrel of my laser gun at him. "I've met a bazooka at point black range. It killed the one who was firing it; I only needed a new paint job."

"Don't be stupid Kay, it's the bloody Cyborg the Emperor created," the other turtle whispered, indicating that he at least had the brains not to pull out his gun.

Kay did not respond just kept the gun aimed at me. He either didn't believe his friend or figured I wasn't as tough as I looked. I sighed a little, if he only knew what I have been ready to do.

"W-what's going on?" I hear April ask from behind me.

"April, stay out," I order and shift myself a bit so I'm completely in front of the doorway. "The idiot has a gun, call the police."

I hear her gasp but then move away. Kay growls and finally does the stupid thing and fires, the bullet lands on my plastron and bounces harmlessly into the ceiling. I had followed it using my mechanical eye. Then I look at the turtle. He was frozen once more in shock.

"Trust me kid," I grunt but then smirk with the organic part of my face. "The Rebellion threw all firepower they had against me and some if it could level down a small city. As you can see I'm still alive and the Rebellion was crushed."

Well that wasn't strictly true, but my point was though clear. This guy had nothing that could be used against me. A strong enough bomb could actually knock me out, and even damage some of the wires on me, but they didn't need to know that.

"Drop all your weapons and don't try to fool me. My mechanical eye has detected all your weaponry and if you try anything foolish I will shoot," I snap.

Slowly they all begin to comply; three guns and few knives are soon on the floor. I narrow my organic eye even further. It was clear that these bozos would have killed any homeowner who would have caught them red handed. Good thing the house they broke into was the one I was in.

The police arrived and picked the guys and their weaponry up. I was thanked for stopping them, seems our house wasn't the first one broken into by the trio. Once they were gone April sunk shivering in a chair in the kitchen. I stood nearby unsure what to do.

"R-Raphael… if you hadn't been there," she whispered shocked. I frowned at the possibility; yes, things could have gone a whole lot worse.

"It was nothing," I muttered though rather stupidly, I've never been much for the glory.

"Nothing? Raphael you didn't just save a stereo. You saved my life… my baby's life," she said sounding so surprised. I looked at her and April smiled at me.

"Yeah well…" I fell silent and sighed.

April asked me to help her stand up so I walked to the chair and offered her my arm. Once she had both hands on it I heaved her up easily. I half expected that she would then asked to be escorted back to the bedroom, but that didn't happen. She suddenly wrapped her arms the best she could around me in a hug.

I blinked in surprise. She was actually hugging me, pretty much lying up against my cold, hard metal plastron. Thanks to her now swelled abdomen and short hands, she couldn't reach around me, but it still was a hug.

"Please…" she whispered suddenly. "Put your arms around me."

"What?" my jaw drops but April nods. Gulping I turn on every single damn sensor in my arms just to stay on the safe side. Then carefully place my heavy arms around her, I do not lay them otherwise I would crush her. I'm then rewarded with another surprise, the woman smiles contently and her eyes are closed.

"You alright April?" I ask concerned.

"Yes," she says. "I just need to feel safe right now."

My jaw drops down further, straining the metal part of my face. I dare not taking her tighter into my arms, but my current hold does seem to be good enough. What she said is flooring me. The woman actually feels safe in my arms?

"You know, you are not as hard as one would think," April looks up smiling at me.

"I… well," I shrug slightly.

"Can you bend down a little?" she then asks, I frown in confusion but comply. I crouch a bit so my head is on level with hers, in the process though I let go of the woman. Suddenly April puts her hand on the organic part of my cheek.

"You feel that?" she wonders and begins gently caressing it. I'm so confused over what she's doing that I just nod.

"Is it different than when your metal part is touched?" April continues to inquire.

"Uh… yeah," I dare not tell her how good this actually feels.

"How about this?" the woman suddenly leans forward and lets go off my cheek in the process.

I freeze in shock when her lips land on the organic part of my mouth. She isn't there for long, just a second before pulling back. However, it was quite enough. My organic eye is open wide, so stunned am I. April just stares at me with a warm smile.

"I… uh… ah… um…" I have absolutely no idea what to say for a second.

"Quite honestly… I… haven't felt something… so good… for a very long time," finally comes out of me.

That was apparently an invitation. April suddenly puts her arms around my neck and pulls herself closer again. Her lips meets my normal mouth and kisses it again, this time I somehow managed to return them. I carefully put my arms around the woman again to support her.

"Uh… April… what just happened there?" I asked though once our mouths parted.

"Raphael, there is no other way to say it. I could count up various things that would just sound stupid and jumbled, but I love you and want to call you more than just a good friend," she tells me. My organic eye blinks for a moment as I take this in.

Wait, she loves me? I thought it was the other way around. Or wait I love her too, she loves me. Suddenly it somehow clicks in my brain. Slowly a smile begins to creep over the organic half of my mouth.

"Y-you love me?" I ask. Those were words I never dared hope hearing from anybody. April just nods as if it was the most obvious and simplest thing in the world.

"But I…" then I begin but she hushes me.

"Your appearance does not matter, Raphael," she tells me and frees one arm to point with a finger on the middle of my plastron.

"It's what is inside here, aside from all the metal and mechanical gear, that matters," the woman tells me. I smirk at her joke, guess I'm beginning to become a bad influence.

"You are a good soul Raphael; you have a large warm golden and caring heart. Your outside appearance should not have to be a hindrance for you. You should not be exempted from love and care just because you need machines to live. You were a victim too during the Empire," April continues.

"Well…" I mumble but we kiss again.

"Guess I should confess to something myself," I admit when my mouth is free once more.

"April… I've…" For a moment I must stop to compose myself. She waits patiently for me to continue.

"I've… April I love you too." Finally the confession burst out of me. "In fact I've been in love with you ever since you arrived in the palace, when my brother had you abducted. It's just that… I never dared hoping that you would well… want someone like me."

"And why not? You're funny, charming, loveable, protective, supporting, albeit mischievous," April begins counting; I grin innocently at that last bit.

"Look ba… err you mind if I call you babe?" I inquire just to stay on the safe side.

"I don't mind at all," she assures me. Well I guess I should take that as permission if anything.

"As I was saying," I scoop the woman up into my arms and rise up. She shrieks for a second but then laughs. "It's all just part of my charm."

"I've definitely noticed that," April chuckles and for the third time we kiss. Though technically only the second time, since I was just too stunned for the first time.

"Now my dear, unlike me, you need your rest. You have passenger," I tell her and carry the woman easily out of the kitchen and to her bedroom.

I stay by her bedside until she's fallen asleep again. Then silently return to the living room, but a big smile is now stuck on my organic mouth; there is just no getting rid of it. Not after what happened just few minutes ago.

This is definitely going to be interesting.

 **End chapter 4**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** Chapter originally written and posted on 27/11 2007

* * *

 **Chapter 5**

 **Ex-Empress April**

My how the months have flown away, suddenly I'm larger than life and just the simple task of walking is a struggle. I'm lucky that I live with Raphael; he doesn't even have to struggle to help me. For him my weight is nothing.

I'm of course now on a break from work due to my pregnant state. I do occasionally call the various places I've been helping out in and hear the status report. Just to be not completely out of the loop and sometimes someone from works drops by to fill me in.

Currently the nesting phase has completely consumed me. I just see dirt everywhere and the furniture just never looks in the right place. I'm surprised Raphael hasn't started to growl at me when requesting yet again that the couch be moved.

"Sure hon," he just says and goes to do it. When I want the carpet vacuumed for the sixth time this day all he says is.

"I'll do it."

There will probably be a long time before I understand Raphael and his dutiful nature fully. The fact that he does it all with a smile on the organic part of his face, now that's just down right uncanny sometimes.

I carefully sit down in a chair after yet another cleaning craze. Or it was more like, Raphael ordered me to sit down as he took over. I watch has he goes around the living room with the feather duster.

"Is that good enough?" he gestures to the television he had just finished with.

"Ah…" I tilt my head. "Move it a bit to the right."

"Right," and Raphael moves the television set to the right.

Then he proceeds to continue with the cleaning. That turtle has been in a whole lot better mood lately, especially after we made things more official. Though he sometimes gets his sad moments again, but that is usually when he remembers his brothers.

"When you are finished, can you get me glass of water?" I inquire feeling thirsty.

"Of course." Raphael nods, he finished dusting off the bookshelves before leaving the living room. I'm always surprised how silently he can walk with that heavy body.

"I was thinking," he says when returning with my glass of water.

"Yes?" I look at him after taking a sip of my drink.

"They at the nearby orphanage think they might need someone to help around. Maybe I should go over there and see what I can do?" Raphael says with a shrug.

"That's a wonderful idea." I smile. My boyfriend has been trying to get more active in the recovery effort, especially now that I'm a little out of commission. People were far more willing to let him help than he had previously thought they would.

"They are finally realizing that you are as much of a victim as they were," I had told him and now first I think he believes it.

"I'll call them then, once we are done here," Raphael says and looks around. I smile and somehow manage to press down my cleaning urges.

"Go call them now, we have done enough for now," I tell him. He looks at me, grinning a bit. Probably knows I'm containing myself from cleaning.

"Very well, but you just sit tight," the turtle tells me in a warning tone. Then he goes to the phone to call the orphanage.

"Hello, yes this Raphael. Yes the Cyborg," I hear him say as there is an answer on the phone.

"Yeah, I understand you've been looking for people to help out at the place."

For a moment I wonder what the orphanage might need help with. It was most likely to help with the children. There were many children, human and turtles that were abandoned by their parents.

"Yeah I am pretty good at that, plus people might be more inclined to tell the truth about themselves to me," I hear him chuckle on the phone, and I can detect laughter from the other end.

"Well April is pregnant and could go any day now as probably everybody knows. Yeah, that's true. I'll come tomorrow then."

Raphael soon hangs up the phone and walks to where I sit. By the smile on his face, it's easy to tell that he had been approved.

"I'll call Angela to be with you tomorrow, they want to get me straight to work. There is a lot to do over there," Raphael explains to me.

"They mostly need help with interviewing potential parents and investigation stuff. I'll be mostly working in that area," he then tells and folds his arms.

"Well Raphael, it seems that things are looking up for you," I smile proudly at him.

"Yeah I guess," he shrugs.

"Alright help me up, time for the bathroom visit," I announce and hold up my hands. The baby as usual likes to dance on my bladder.

Smiling, Raphael helps me rise up and supports me to the bathroom. Once I had finished there, we both go to the kitchen. For some reason I like sitting in there in my current state. Then I don't always require my boyfriend's help to stand up.

"What's for dinner?" I ask as I sit down by the kitchen table.

"Wellll," Raphael peeks into the fridge, before opening the freezer. "Better make use of this lasagna."

"Sounds good," I nod. I'm in a mood for something Italian.

Raphael nods and goes to prepare the food. He's become the adept cook since it became too difficult for me to stand by the stove. Then again, I was never much of a chef myself and I'm the one who eats more.

I watch the turtle as he works on the meal. My meal mostly, it will depend if his body needs it if he will eat as well. Being a cyborg, he doesn't require regular meals, only when the organic parts of his body require the nutrients.

It's hard for me to not admire him. This big turtle with an intimidating appearance thanks to his metal parts, yet so sensitive and gentle on the inside. People around are finally starting to see that and that is a relief. The poor guy has been through so much, it's time he gets a break.

* * *

"How are things at the recovery center?" I ask Angela. We are both seated in the kitchen. Raphael has gone out to the orphanage.

"Could be worse, but it could be better," my friend shakes her head sadly.

"So many people are just too desperate for an out. They just can't handle the changes to their body," she then tells me. I cringe a little, this meant that either few more suicide victims had been found or few stopped.

"And the children, crying their eyes out because their own parents suddenly turned on them." I could see a flash of anger cross Angela's eyes when she said that. I understood her well, how anyone could abandon their children because it suddenly looked different. It was just horrible.

"Just yesterday, this little girl was thrown away and called a monster by her own mother. We were thus forced to separate them and take the girl away and send the mother off the premises," she continued. This was a very heated subject for Angela. She probably understood the best that despite the reptilian look, there were people underneath the shell. After all, she had worked with the original mutants, Raphael, Leonardo and later Donatello.

"Some people never deserved being parents. Some don't realize how lucky they were to be united again with their children," I retort and my friend nods in agreement.

"Otherwise most of the reunions when fairly well, some were a bit strained but we helped break the ice," she then tells me, probably to lighten the mood a bit.

"Indeed, and hopefully Raphael can help find good parents for some of those unfortunate children," I chime in.

"Yes, I'm glad Angel is finding something good to do. Just few weeks ago he looked so withered and sad, he looks much better now," Angela smiled. I chuckle a bit; I still find it strange the nickname she has for him.

"Raphael really is just a big kid, I'm sure he will enjoy working with the children," I remark generating laughter from the both of us.

"And he will probably be a very good father," Angela glances at my huge abdomen.

"Well he's already offered to change the diapers, so there is hope," I tell her and we laugh again.

"So, how many times have you cleaned the house just this morning?" she then asks me, knowing well I'm still in the nesting phase.

"Two times," I admit almost shamefully. "But Raphael took care of most of it.

Angela just smiles and nods, I'm almost tempted to head off to clean some more. I barely manage to restrain myself. My friend is a guest; I'll not subject her to my cleaning binge. Besides, I might get the bright idea to move furniture again, better have Raphael home for that.

"I'll get it," Angela tells me when the doorbell rings. She rises up and leaves the kitchen. I lean back a bit in the chair, relieved not having to answer the door right now.

"Here is something to cheer up a pregnant lady," my friend returns to the kitchen with a cookie box.

"Where did you get that?" I ask surprised.

"Few children were walking around, selling cookies," Angela opens the box and puts it on the table. I reach for one home backed cookie and munch on it. She goes to get us some milk to drink with them.

"Yes, I do believe I needed that," I concur.

"They were though a little disappointed that Angel didn't come, they were probably hoping to see him," she tells me with a giggle.

"Yeah, the kids around never get enough of seeing the cyborg," I grin. The neighbors didn't mind now that the children approached Raphael, especially after he stopped the burglars few months back.

"Well he does attract attention, good attention now thankfully," Angela says and causing me to nod in agreement. So far we've not had any incident where Raphael was regarded with fear or contempt.

"On that note, they are still eyeing me for the next presidential elections," I mutter and shake my head. I had declared that I was not interested in running for office, any office. But there were still voices that I should run and that I would win by a landslide.

"They don't give up do they," my friend chuckles.

"No they…" I blink and look down. My eyes open wide and I look up to Angela who stares at me concerned.

"Angela… my water just broke," I whisper.

 **End chapter 5**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:** Chapter originally written and posted on 24/05 2008

* * *

 **Chapter 6**

 **Cyborg Raphael**

"Do you eat?"

"How do you pee?"

"Can you lift a semi?"

"Do you sleep?"

"Do you dream?"

"How heavy are you?"

"Can we see your gun?"

Slowly I raise an eye ridge on the organic part of my face. I'm at the orphanage having been getting instructed on what I was supposed to do. Then I got to meet few of the kids. Since I offered to help with them too if necessary.

Right now, I'm in the interesting situation of being interrogated. The interrogators are two boys, twins named Keith and Kevin. They were the so far the only kids who dared to come all the way to me and then the questions rained over me.

Although twins Keith was a dark haired human boy, but Kevin was a basic green turtle. Both dressed the same, as some twins tend to do, blue jeans, a jacket, black shirt and shoes. The two had been prisoners in one of the laboratories. One twin escaped the mutations but the other was not so lucky. However, that didn't seem to have strained the brotherly bond. Their parents on the other hand had been killed, having been rebellion members.

"Right, to answer your questions in order, yes, no, yes, not really, kind of, very heavy and no," I say folding my arms. I can hear the nurse chuckle from behind.

"Now run along boys," she then instructs the twins who are a bit disappointed to be sent off.

I still have to make the final deal with the head off the orphanage, Laura. She is a middle-aged human woman brown curly hair. She wears a long brown skirt and yellowish blouse. I meet her in her office of the building.

"Hello Raphael and welcome," she says, rising up when I enter it.

"Hello Laura," I greet back and take my position in front of her desk. "Before you offer, I can't sit, I'll crush the chair."

"Yes, I figured," the woman chuckled and sat back down.

"I'm very glad though that you offered to help us here at the orphanage, we have been in need of good honest people to investigate for us. Talk to the parents and things like that," she then goes right to business.

"Yeah I understand. Rather not send the kids to just about anyone," I mention and Laura nods.

"At the moment we aren't having too many inquiries for children. More children are being brought here at the present time than leave," she explains. "We have gotten a few from abroad. But we make it a policy that Turtleland citizens have priority."

"Yeah, many of these kids have had too many changes happen to them in a sort amount of time," I mutter.

"The older children, the teenagers and such, they are permitted to leave the premises without an escort. That is to go to the movies or just hang around with other friends. They are though expected to come back before ten," she continues. "But we do not allow the younger children to leave unless an adult is with them."

"Of course your main body of work, is to investigate the potential parents, but since you offered also to help with the children I felt it was good to let you know how we work," she adds and I just nod.

There isn't that much explaining left after that. I chat a bit with Laura about me and what I have been doing. Just so she gets to know what experience I really have. Of course I leave out anything that is linked to what I used to be, even though I'm sure she knows it too well.

Once that is done I do get my first background check. A couple has expressed interest in adopted a young little turtle girl. They are humans, but they have been helping in the recovery work. I am in the file office of the orphanage, reading on the information about the girl and the couple.

The two humans apparently were the ones to present the girl to her parents in the center where families are reunited. They couldn't accept that their daughter had been mutated and abandoned the little girl right there. The couple then had to take the heartbroken girl to the orphanage. However, the woman apparently had felt real attachment during the whole process and expressed desire to adopt her.

I check if I have personal files in my computer brain on the couple myself. I blink when learning that the man was in the rebellion but captured. He barely escaped the process himself. His wife had not been an active member, but had done some work for them. I ask Laura to schedule an interview session with them.

April can also probably help me. She has after all many connections in the recovery center. She could probably tell me more about them if she recognizes them. That reminds me that I should probably call home soon to check if everything is alright.

On my way back to the file office I meet up once more with Keith and Kevin. The children have a rather free run around the building. Most of them stay in the designated areas, but there seems to be great tolerance to let them to the office areas too.

"What are you doing?"

"Are you working here now?"

"You going to adopt someone?"

"Can you adopt Jack and ground him?"

Again the questions rain and again my organic eye ridge rises. I can see I'm going to have an interesting experience with those two.

"I am working, which answers the second question, I'm not adopting anyone and no I will not adopt this Jack, whoever he is, just to ground him," I answer with a chuckle. "What are you two doing here anyway?"

"We were bored," Keith answers with a shrug and Kevin nods.

"Right… well I'm busy now," I am about to excuse myself when a nurse comes running to us.

"Raphael, they were calling from the hospital. April is there in labor," she tells me, my jaw drops.

"Who… where… calling….from….where….who….is…in…WHAT?"

* * *

Time changes fast, one moment I'm happily starting to work at the orphanage. Processing the files and planning an interview with potential parents. Then suddenly the next moment, I'm pacing in the waiting room at the hospital.

My April is in labor. She is having a baby; there will be a child soon in the house. Diaper change, bottle-feeding. That is just all slowly sinking into me. I'm actually going to be raising my brother's child. Will I be an uncle or will I be considered the father.

"Calm down Angel, it's going to be alright," Angela tries to tell me to calm down.

"How can I calm down, there never has been a human giving birth to a turtle hybrid before," I say. "What if there are complications. Maybe they should do a c-section. I mean the kid is most likely going to have a shell, they said that…"

"It's going to be fine Angel, you are worrying too much." the woman smiles at me, familiar motherly smile from back in the days at the lab.

"Ok Maybe I am." I sigh and stop pacing.

I'm no stranger to an infant. I mean Mikey had been very, very young when first handed to us. I would probably know what to do, for the most part. This time we would have better access to things the child would need.

"You know… I just realized… we never talked names," I then look at Angela.

"Then you better start thinking up some," she says. "But let April have a say in it, it is her child after all."

"Right, right," I nod sighing.

The reason why I am not with April right now is thanks to my body. I can't of course go into those blue hospital gowns or whatever they are called. Plus the area has to be fairly clean, they figured it was better I came in afterwards once the birth was over and April in her room with the baby. Then I only needed to put those blue things on my metal feet, I just hope the claw like toes won't rip them to pieces.

"Do you think your brother should be notified of this?" Angela then asks me.

"I'll tell him next time I visit," I mutter and glance to the door. I just want to get in there now, but need to wait for the doctor or a nurse to come fetch us.

That finally happens, a doctor finally arrives and tells me I can come and meet them. Angela comes with me and we are taken to where they put April. I am dying to know how the baby will look like.

We finally meet April in her room holding the now sleeping child. She looks tired but happy. Who would blame her? She is a mother now. I carefully walk closer to the bed, but Angela decides to stay by the doorway for now. April looks up and smiles.

"Come meet your daughter Raphael," she whispers and shifts the child again.

"Erm… my daughter?" I frown a bit.

"I want you to be considered the father," she tells me and looks down at the bundle.

The little girl is olive green, just like Donny. She rests peacefully in her mother's arms. April tells me though that she made quite a noise when finally coming out, but was calmed down soon after. They don't want to risk breast feeding, so April will be given formulas they use on turtle children who hatch.

I have to admit that I would much rather be the uncle. She is Donny's daughter. But then again I could be both, father/uncle so to speak. Daughter/niece, now there is a concept.

"What about names?" I wonder. I don't dare touching her; my cold fingers might wake the girl up.

"I don't know, what do you think?" April asks.

"Well… if it had been a boy I would have suggested Michelangelo. Michelangela just doesn't feel right though," I frown a little.

"Michaela? Or maybe Michelle?" she looks at the child and smiles. "Yes Michelle sounds good."

"Michelle it is then," I chuckle and carefully put a hand on April's shoulder.

"Will you marry me?" I ask and blink when that just ran out of my mouth. Where did I get guts to say that? April looks up at me and laughs softly.

"Of course I will, but you're taking my last name," she says.

"I don't have a last name anyway," I grin.

"You want to hold her?" April offers to hand the child to me.

"Uh…I might wake her up." My organic eye opens wide, but I get very little room to protest. Suddenly I am cradling the infant in my arms who fortunately didn't wake up.

"She's so… light… I barely register her weight," I whisper stunned.

"You two look cute together, Angela, take a picture." April smiled and waved our friend to come closer. Angela chuckled and fished her camera from the purse.

"Congratulations April and Raphael, she looks adorable," Angela congratulates us while taking a photograph of Michelle and me.

I carefully shift the child so I'm cradling her in one arm. Then use my free hand to properly tuck the blanket around her. As I am doing that, three tiny olive green fingers grab one of my metal fingers. I stop, Michelle had woken up and these big brown eyes stare up at me, nothing but pure innocence in them.

Michelle will never have to live under the shadow of the empire. She was born in the infancy of the new land. She has been given something, robbed from so many. She won't have to live in the sewers, or the lab or a cold palace owned by a ruthless tyrant.

Well, maybe she might visit the sewers. One particular sewer that is, because I have every intention to introduce her to Donny's counterpart. Right now I'm kind lost in that stare. Michelle opens her mouth and the closes it again, she is still so young and fragile and innocent. I crack a smile on the organic part of my mouth.

I think I finally know why I am here. It was so obvious from the start, but it refused to present itself to me until I was holding that little precious treasure in my hands.

I'm here to protect my new family.

 **The End**

* * *

 **A/N:** And that's it for this short little story. It's not long but does cover a bit of a period of time and quite honestly serves to show what the Cyborg and the former Empress were doing before the events of When the Assassin Strikes. I hope you enjoyed reading it


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